NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS primer: Nov. 23
Giannis Antetokounmpo could be headed for a big performance Wednesday vs. Chicago.
We have almost every team in action, and the injury report is one of the largest of the season. More news will break before the opening tip, and it’ll be imperative to track that injury report throughout the night. We have nearly 25 teams we need to discuss, so let’s go ahead and get into it!
Injury Report
- Damian Lillard (calf) OUT
- Caris LeVert (ankle) Questionable
- James Harden (foot) OUT
- Joel Embiid (foot) OUT
- Tyrese Maxey (foot) OUT
- Tobias Harris (hip) Questionable
- Gordon Hayward (shoulder) Questionable
- LaMelo Ball (ankle) Questionable
- Marcus Smart (ankle) Questionable
- Robert Williams (knee) OUT
- Jimmy Butler (knee) OUT
- Tyler Herro (ankle) Questionable
- Pascal Siakam (groin) OUT
- Gary Trent (hip) Questionable
- Lonzo Ball (knee) OUT
- Khris Middleton (wrist) OUT
- Devin Vassell (ankle) Questionable
- Nikola Jokic (protocols) Questionable
- Jamal Murray (protocols) Questionable
- Aaron Gordon (illness) Questionable
- Cade Cunningham (shin) OUT
- Saddiq Bey (ankle) Questionable
- Isaiah Stewart (foot) Questionable
- Mike Conley (Achilles) OUT
- Paul George (knee) Questionable
Core Plays
Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $11,600 DraftKings, $10,500 FanDuel
It was exciting to see Jokic back in action on Tuesday and the big man returned to his Kia MVP ways, falling a rebound shy of a triple-double en route to 60.3 DK points. That’s the stud we’ve become accustomed to, with Joker averaging over 60 fantasy points per game since 2020. He’s also scored at least 40 fantasy points in all but a handful of those games, posting a 60-point average in his two meetings with OKC this year.
De’Aaron Fox (PG – SAC): $9,400 DraftKings, $9,700 FanDuel
It’s about time that Fox’s price gets above $10K. The speedster has at least 36 DK points in every game he’s finished, falling just shy of a 50-point average. He should keep that streak going against Atlanta, who play at the fifth-fastest pace in the NBA. In three meetings with the Hawks over the last two years, Fox is averaging 48 fantasy points per game.
Brandon Ingram (SG/SF – NOP): $8,400 DraftKings, $8,100 FanDuel
Ingram is posting a 45-point average over his last three games and has his season average just shy of 40 DraftKings points per game. His biggest asset here is a matchup with San Antonio, sitting seventh in pace, 29th in defensive efficiency, and 28th in points allowed.
Cash Game Considerations
Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF/C – MIL): $12,300 DraftKings, $11,800 FanDuel
Antetokounmpo has scored at least 40 DraftKings points in all 13 games this season, averaging 57 fantasy points per game. That makes him a worthy option at any price because getting a guaranteed 40-60 DK points from anyone is tough. It looks even better since Giannis has at least 55 DK points in nine of his last 11 meetings against this 20th-ranked Chicago defense.
Stephen Curry (PG – GSW): $10,800 DraftKings, $10,400 FanDuel
Curry has scored at least 42 DraftKings points in all but one game, with the single dud being a 40-point blowout in which he didn’t play the fourth quarter. That makes it hard to believe he’s not more expensive, posting a 56-point average on the year. Facing the Clippers can be concerning, but Curry has at least 62 fantasy points in three of their last six matchups.
De’Anthony Melton (PG/SG – PHI): $7,600 DraftKings, $7,400 FanDuel
Injuries to Tyrese Maxey, James Harden and Joel Embiid leaves Melton with all the minutes and usage he can handle. He’s got at least 43 DK points in the first two games without those guys, and we expect that to continue behind his elite per-minute averages. They face the Hornets, ranked 19th in defensive efficiency ratings.
GPP Targets
Montrezl Harrell (PF/C – PHI): $4,400 DraftKings, $4,900 FanDuel
Harrell got a start for him earlier in the year, dropping 27 DraftKings points across 29 minutes. He also averaged 33 fantasy points in the 19 games he played at least 26 minutes last year, and we expect that to be the case for this shorthanded team. The matchup is the best part, with Charlotte surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing centers.
Bruce Brown (PG/SF – DEN): $6,300 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel
Brown has scored at least 25 DK points in six straight games, generating a 35-point average in that span. It’s no surprise since this roster is so shorthanded, and he could be asked to do more with some of these guys resting in the second half of a back-to-back set. The matchup isn’t too bad either, with OKC ranked 18th in defensive efficiency ratings.
Jalen Williams (SG/SF – OKC): $4,500 DraftKings, $5,100 FanDuel
Williams has scored at least 19 DK points in six of his last seven games, averaging 26 DK points per game across 29 minutes in those six outings. That’s all you can ask for from a $5K player, and this 21-year-old is only getting better by the day.
Value Plays
Jordan Clarkson (PG/SG – UTA): $6,900 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
An injury to Mike Conley has forced Clarkson into primary ball-handling duties, scoring 79 combined DK points in the first two games without the veteran. That brings his season average up to 33 DraftKings points per game, and if you’ve ever seen Clarkson play, you know he’s not scared to fire up as many shots as possible. Facing Detroit is the best part of this, ranked last in defensive efficiency.
Reggie Jackson (PG/SG – LAC): $5,500 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel
Jackson has at least 33 fantasy points in three straight games. It was inevitable that the production would turn around because he’s still the primary point guard for this team, playing 30-35 minutes and attempting 10-15 shots a game. No player with that sort of role should be below $6K, especially since he faces a Warriors team allowing the most points in the NBA.
Collin Sexton (PG/SG – UTA): $4,400 DraftKings, $4,700 FanDuel
Sexton’s workload is the one thing holding him back, but he started and played 28 minutes in Utah’s most recent game. He also took 13 shots, and this is a guy who was $7K in that sort of role in the past. Facing Detroit’s defense might be the thing to get him back on track, allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing point guards.
Advantageous Pricing
- Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $11,600 DraftKings, $10,500 FanDuel
- PJ Washington (PF/C – CHA): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
- Paul Reed (PF/C – PHI): $3,700 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
- Marcus Smart (PG/SG – BOS): $5,900 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel
- Derrick White (PG/SG – BOS): $5,000 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
- Kyle Kuzma (PF – WAS): $8,600 DraftKings, $7,600 FanDuel
- Fred VanVleet (PG/SG – TOR): $7,800 DraftKings, $8,800 FanDuel
- Ben Simmons (PG/SF/PF – BKN): $6,100 DraftKings, $7,600 FanDuel
- Aaron Gordon (SF/PF – DEN): $5,600 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel
- DeAndre Jordan (C – DEN): $4,300 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
- Bobby Portis (PF/C – MIL): $6,900 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
- Malik Beasley (SG – MIN): $4,800 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
- Marcus Morris (SF/PF – LAC): $5,700 DraftKings, $4,900 FanDuel
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
